School Board Audit Committee Training Pre-training module 1 Education in the Province of Ontario

Session objectives After completing this session you will better understand: What governs education in the Province of Ontario, who the major players are, as well as their roles and responsibilities

Overview of Education in the Province Education in Canada What governs education in the province? Major players in education Roles and responsibilities Board committees

Education in Canada Education in Canada is a provincial responsibility Elementary and secondary education in Ontario is governed by the Education Act and any amendments made to that Act

What is the Education Act? In Ontario, children between the ages of 6 and 18 must be enrolled in a formal education program The province’s Education Act and the regulations made under it establish the framework for the delivery of education The Act outlines the responsibilities of the key partners in the education process: Minister of Education District school boards School board supervisory officers Principals Teachers – effectively delivery curriculum Parents – ensure students go to school Students – attending class and discipline

Other Legislation that Affects Education Although Ontario’s Education Act is the major statute governing elementary and secondary education in the province, other legislation also significantly affects school board operations. These laws include the following: the Child and Family Services Act the Education Quality & Accountability Office Act the Employment Standards Act the Human Rights Code the Immigration Act (Canada) the Immunization of School Pupils Act the Labour Relations Act the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act the Municipal Act, 2001 the Occupational Health and Safety Act the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 the Ontario College of Teachers Act the Ontarians with Disabilities Act the Planning Act the Pay Equity Act the Youth Criminal Justice Act (Canada) the Public Inquiries Act, Part II the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act

Ministry of Education Represents the interests of the Ministry at the provincial cabinet and assists in the development of education policy Administers the provincial statutes and regulations that concern education – Education Act The Ministry of Education provides leadership and sets the direction for education policy by: setting provincial standards for student outcomes promoting a safe, effective, and respectful environment that supports learning; developing and sustaining a rigorous and challenging province-wide curriculum; promoting accountability throughout the publicly funded education system; promoting and supporting excellence in teaching; and providing school boards with resources, including financial resources, and support for program implementation.

Ministry of Education cont…. The Ministry is also responsible for: developing curriculum setting policies and guidelines for school board trustees, directors of education, principals and other school board officials setting requirements for student diplomas and certificates preparing lists of approved textbooks and other learning materials

District School Boards There are currently 72 publicly funded district school boards in the Province of Ontario broken down into four distinct groups District school boards ensure that local decision making is retained. Represents 1,919,485* students Type Number of Boards English Public Boards 31 French Public Boards 4 English Catholic Boards 29 French Catholic Boards 8 Total 72 * Represents average daily enrolment from 2008-09 revised estimates

District School Board Responsibilities The Province’s 72 district school boards operate the day to day activities of the province's publicly-funded schools - Manage over $20 billion budget Responsible for: Determining the number, size and location of schools Building, equipping and furnishing schools Providing education programs that meet the needs of the school community Prudent management of the funds allocated by the province Preparing an annual budget Supervising the operation of schools and their teaching programs Developing policy for safe arrival programs for elementary schools Establishing a school council at each school Hiring teachers and other staff / helping teachers improve their teaching practices / teacher performance Approving schools' textbook and learning materials choices Enforcing student attendance Ensuring schools abide by the Education Act and its regulations

District School Board Organizational Structure Senior Administration Trustees Director of Education Supervisory Officer Political environment Teachers Union environment

Trustees Officials elected every four years during municipal elections Provide an important link between local communities and the school board - trustees play a key role in ensuring that schools operate within the standards established by the province, and that the programs and services remain responsive to the communities they serve Explain the policies and decisions of the board to community residents Support and encourage public education Under the law, only the elected board has the power to make decisions. Trustees do not have individual authority.

Trustees cont… The Role of Trustees in School Boards is to: Help establish a vision and climate for the school board Policy making Evaluating and recruiting a chief executive (Director of Ed.) Planning, goal setting, and appraisal Allocating resources (budgeting process) Staffing policy, employment procedures, collective bargaining Student achievement, programs of instructions and learning materials School facilities policies that maintain and protect the boards assets Student supports policies that guide the actions of administration and school staff in their dealings with students and their families (i.e. discipline etc..) Communication with school staff, parents & students

Director of Education The Director of Education is the chief executive officer and chief education officer (CEO) of the school board and Secretary Treasurer of the Board Hired by the trustees, and report to the board usually through the chair All school board staff report either directly or indirectly to the Director of Education. Directors are responsible for: advising the board on operational matters; implementing board policies; managing all facets of school board operations; developing and maintaining an effective organization

Supervisory Officers Academic and business (often called Superintendents) Hired by Director of Education Provide strategic and operational leadership, and are accountable to the director of education for the implementation, operation, and supervision of educational programs in their schools. The Superintendent of Business*: manages and reports on financial operations, including the accounting, budget, purchasing, payroll, capital planning and facilities functions. The Academic Superintendents: assigned portfolios provide leadership to and work proactively with school administrators * Some boards also have Superintendents of Plant & Facilities, Superintendent of Human Resources

Principals Principals are the educational leaders in their school communities and are responsible for the organization & management of individual schools. Some of the principals key responsibilities include: supervising teachers and programs at their schools measuring and communicating student achievement results work with staff, parents, and the community to develop and implement school improvement plans that reflect school and board priorities maintaining proper discipline in the school and attending to the care of students and property Responsibility for the budget assigned to the school by the school board One or more vice principals may also be assigned to the school to help the principal with his or her work

Teachers Teachers are the front-line representatives of the education system. Teachers must be members of the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) or who have a special letter of permission from the ministry to teach in publicly funded elementary or secondary schools A teacher’s key responsibilities include: teach classes or subjects assigned by the principal instruct, train, and evaluate pupils effectively manage the classroom effectively carry out the supervisory duties and instructional program assigned by the principal cooperate fully with other teachers and the principal in all matters related to the instruction of pupils

Teachers cont… Teacher responsibilities continued… be available and prepared before the start of classes prepare teaching plans and outlines ensure that all reasonable safety procedures are carried out in courses and activities; ensure that report cards are completed participate in regular meetings with pupils’ parents or guardians perform duties normally associated with the graduation of pupils participate in professional activity days as designated by the board give notice of absence Many teachers choose to participate in supervising co-instructional activities at the school (i.e. after school sports etc..). These activities continue to be voluntary

School Councils Each publicly funded elementary and secondary school in Ontario is required to have a school council Made up of parent volunteers and are advisory in nature, providing recommendations to the school principal Forum through which parents and other members of school communities can contribute to school life The objective should be to improve student achievement by enhancing the way curriculum is delivered by creating a positive environment for learning Fundraising activities

School Authorities Manage special types of schools Schools in hospitals and treatment facilities = 6 Bloorview MacMillan SA Campbell Children’s SA John McGivney Children’s Centre SA KidsAbility SA Niagara Peninsula Children’s SA Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre Schools in remote and sparsely-populated regions = 4 Moosonee Public DSA James Bay Lowlands DSA Moose Factory Island DSA Penetanguishene Protestant DSA

Board Committees The Education Act permits boards to establish committees of board members to deal with the broad areas of “education, finance, personnel and property Boards may also establish other committees and subcommittees that include non-trustees (i.e. Audit Committee) There are three kinds of board committees: Standing or permanent committees Ad hoc committees Advisory committees

Board Committees cont… Standing or Permanent Committees generally deal with ongoing or recurring matters, such as those specified in the legislation are an integral part of the board structure Examples include Audit Committee, Finance Committee Ad hoc Committees like task forces or work groups investigate a specific issue and report within a stated time frame Examples include special committees that review controversial books Advisory committees established on either a short- or long-term basis provide input into policy development or other areas where the board would benefit from the experience and expertise of other participants Examples include SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee)